Wind turbine technology is providing an ever-increasing proportion of the electrical energy generated in the United States and worldwide. Wind turbines transform kinetic energy, provided by a wind source, into mechanical energy, which may in turn be used to produce electricity. A typical wind turbine consists of an electrical generator mounted in a nacelle atop a tower that may be sixty (60) or more meters tall. As turbine tower designs evolve and heights become greater, some wind turbine towers supporting the nacelles are connected together in multiple sections joined by one or more flanges.
As with most mechanical machinery, periodic maintenance, refurbishing or repair is needed for wind turbines. Given the substantial height of turbines and their towers, maintenance personnel must necessarily ascend great heights in order to conduct uptower repair and maintenance of wind turbine components. Some wind turbines include ladders for the maintenance personnel to climb. In some turbine tower designs, a ladder is included on the interior of the turbine tower and ascends vertically through the tower towards the nacelle and other uptower turbine components. The safety of maintenance personnel is very much desired for operators and owners of wind turbines.